Diversity Inclusion Tech Awards 2026 Winners

The Diversity Inclusion Tech Awards 2026 celebrated the people, organisations and initiatives helping to create a more inclusive and accessible technology industry. The annual event took place on 17 September 2026 at The Gibson Hotel in Dublin, bringing together technology leaders, innovators and diversity advocates from Ireland and further afield.

Now in its ninth year, the awards continue to highlight achievements in diversity, equality, workplace inclusion and access to opportunities within the technology sector.

Among the major recipients at the 2026 ceremony were Dr Ann Kelleher, who received the prestigious Kay McNulty Award, and Dr Abeba Birhane, recipient of the Inspiration Award.

 

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion in Technology

In 2020, the programme evolved into the Diversity Inclusion Tech Awards, expanding its focus to recognise the importance of representation, equality, accessibility and belonging throughout the technology industry.

The event has since grown beyond Ireland, attracting nominations and interest from technology professionals and organisations across Europe, the United States and the UAE.

The Diversity Inclusion Tech Awards 2026 also featured updated award categories designed to reflect how the technology sector is changing and how businesses are developing more inclusive working environments.

Journalist and broadcaster Elaine Burke hosted the 2026 ceremony.

Dr Ann Kelleher Receives the Kay McNulty Award

One of the evening’s major honours, the Kay McNulty Award, was presented to Dr Ann Kelleher.

Originally from Macroom in County Cork, Dr Kelleher built an influential career in semiconductor engineering and technology development during almost three decades with Intel.

 

She rose through the company’s leadership ranks and became the first Irish person to reach the position of Executive Vice President at Intel.

Her work has covered areas including semiconductor manufacturing, device physics, fabrication and advanced technology development.

Throughout her career, Dr Kelleher has worked at the intersection of science, engineering and large-scale manufacturing, where technological progress often depends on overcoming extremely complex physical and engineering limitations.

Receiving the Kay McNulty Award recognised both her technical achievements and her contribution to leadership within the global technology sector.

Her message at the awards also highlighted the importance of ensuring talented people are given opportunities to contribute rather than being left outside the technology industry.

Why the Kay McNulty Award Matters

The award is named after Kay McNulty, the Irish-born mathematician and programmer who was one of the original programmers of ENIAC, one of the earliest general-purpose electronic digital computers.

The category celebrates significant contributions and leadership within technology and continues the legacy associated with pioneering women in computing.

Dr Abeba Birhane Wins the Inspiration Award

The Inspiration Award at the Diversity Inclusion Tech Awards 2026 went to Dr Abeba Birhane, a cognitive scientist and prominent researcher in responsible artificial intelligence.

 

Dr Birhane is an Assistant Professor of AI and founder and director of the AI Accountability Lab at Trinity College Dublin.

Her research examines areas including artificial intelligence accountability, algorithmic bias, ethical machine learning and the wider social consequences of automated systems.

Her work has helped encourage greater scrutiny of how AI technologies are designed, evaluated and communicated to the public.

Challenging the Hype Around Artificial Intelligence

A major theme of Dr Birhane’s remarks at the event concerned the difference between public narratives surrounding artificial intelligence and the actual capabilities of AI systems.

She highlighted how sensational descriptions of AI can sometimes create misleading impressions about what these technologies can independently accomplish.

Her approach calls for greater attention to evidence, accountability and the real-world impact of automated technologies rather than relying purely on dramatic claims about AI capabilities.

The Inspiration Award recognises individuals whose work, leadership and experiences encourage wider positive change within technology and society.

Diversity Inclusion Tech Awards 2026 Winners

The 2026 awards recognised achievements across workplace culture, employment, technology leadership, artificial intelligence, STEM, recruitment and social impact.

 

 

Culture of Belonging Award

Winner: HubSpot

Sponsored by Rent the Runway, the category recognises efforts to create working environments where employees from different backgrounds can feel included, supported and able to contribute.

Equal Opportunities Employer of the Year

Winner: EPAM Systems

Sponsored by Comcast Business, this award focuses on organisations incorporating equal opportunity and inclusive practices into their workplace strategies.

Inclusion Champion of the Year

Winner: ERG Program, Ericsson

Sponsored by Yahoo, the award recognises initiatives that support employee empowerment, accessibility and inclusive workplace participation.

Inspirational Diversity Role Model Award

Winner: Jennifer Cox, Tines

The award celebrates individuals who act as visible advocates for diversity and help encourage inclusive practices across their organisations or industries.

Social Impact & Digital Divide Award

Winner: ESB

Sponsored by Fiserv, the category highlights efforts to improve access to technology and address inequalities created by the digital divide.

Talent Acquisition Innovation Award

Winner: Greenhouse

This category recognises innovation in recruitment and the development of more accessible and inclusive approaches to attracting talent.

Workplace Equity Initiative Award

Winner: Datavant

The award recognises specific programmes and initiatives designed to improve fairness and inclusion in the workplace.

Rising Star Award

Winner: Hannah Lormenyo, Microsoft

Sponsored by Greenhouse, the Rising Star Award highlights an emerging professional demonstrating strong potential, innovation and leadership within technology.

Startup Visionary Award

Winner: Rhona Togher

Sponsored by the Local Enterprise Office, the award celebrates entrepreneurial leadership and innovation within the technology startup ecosystem.

STEM Advocate Award

Winner: Claire MacNamee, TrailblazHER, TU Dublin

Sponsored by ESB, this category recognises work encouraging participation, education and opportunities across science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Tech Leader Award

Winner: Mel Good, J.P. Morgan Chase

Sponsored by PTSB, the award recognises senior leadership and contributions to technology-focused organisations.

Technical Guru Award

Winner: Rachel Hadas Aharon, Fiserv

Sponsored by Tapadoo, this category celebrates exceptional technical expertise across areas such as engineering, development, data and technology architecture.

Diversity in Tech Impact Award

Winner: An Cosán

Sponsored by TCS, this award recognises the contribution of not-for-profit organisations working to improve diversity, inclusion and access to opportunities through technology.

AI & Data Innovator Award

Winner: Zhe Cui, UCD

Sponsored by Technology Ireland DIGITAL Skillnet, the award recognises innovation and achievement across artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science.

Kay McNulty Award

Winner: Dr Ann Kelleher

The honour recognises Dr Kelleher’s distinguished career and contribution to engineering, semiconductor technology and leadership.

Inspiration Award

Winner: Dr Abeba Birhane, AI Accountability Lab

Dr Birhane received the award in recognition of her research, advocacy and work examining accountability and fairness within artificial intelligence.

Diversity Inclusion Tech Awards Continue to Grow

The Diversity Inclusion Tech Awards 2026 winners represent a broad range of technology companies, academic institutions, nonprofit organisations, entrepreneurs and industry professionals.

From semiconductor engineering and responsible AI to recruitment, workplace culture, STEM advocacy and digital inclusion, the categories reflect the many areas where organisations and individuals can influence participation and opportunity within technology.

As the technology sector continues to evolve, diversity and inclusion remain important considerations for organisations seeking to attract talent, develop responsible technologies and create workplaces where people from different backgrounds can participate and progress.

The 2026 awards placed those efforts in the spotlight while recognising the individuals and organisations actively developing initiatives across the industry.

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